Romances: ShinoTen
by Rel
Summary: Short stories revolving around Shino and TenTen written using prompts
1. Magic

Well I decided to try my hand a one of those things where you get a table of prompts and try writing drabbles for them. This is for the 30_romances community (thought I'd start small hopefully it'll mean I can finish them all) :) They haven't confirmed me on the community yet but I'm gonna post this anyway.

Prompt: 5# Magic

She squinted into the darkness, trying to find and extract her sleeping bag from the mess that was her backpack. During the course of their day's travelling it had somehow managed to work it's way down to very bottom, tangling itself around their cooking equipment and a few of her weapons scrolls. Managing to slice her finger on a rogue kunai (she could _swear _she'd sealed all of them into her scrolls but apparently she'd missed one) she cursed and threw the bag down in frustration.

'I hate this.'

Her travelling companion, predictably, didn't reply. One thing she'd learnt in the past few days that was Aburame Shino really didn't like wasting words. On the downside it made her feel like she was talking to herself alot of the time but on the _plus _side when he did make some contribution to the conversation it tended to be worth listening to. He was actually a remarkably insightful individual when he chose to be. And hey after years of her missions being filled with observations on the 'springtime of youth' she would gladly take a little peace and quiet.

'I mean, I know we can't have a fire or flashlights or any unnatural light because our target might spot us. But there just had to be no moon tonight didn't there? I can't see anything at _all.'_

Another thing she'd realised over the course of this mission was that Shino was... different to anyone else she knew. He was a little bit strange. But in a really, really good way. In a 'she might well be developing a _bit _of a ridiculous crush' kinda way. Damn, why did she _always_ have to fall for the emotionally unavaliable ones?

Sticking her injured finger into her mouth and sucking at the freely bleeding cut she contemplated just doing without the damn sleeping bag. _Maybe I could convince Shino to share his?_ she thought with a wicked grin, imagining the bug ninja's reaction if she suggested such a thing.

He finally decided to contribute to her rather onesided conversation and TenTen shook herself out of her (rather perverted) daydream to listen,

'Perhaps we can use....natural light.'

Pointing up at the nonexsistant moon she cocked an eyebrow and waited for him to respond. Then realised much to her embarrassment....well that it was freakin' pitch black and he probably couldn't even see where she was pointing. Clearing her throat, she responded verbally.

'As I said.... no moon so I think we're pretty screwed on the 'natural light' front.'

'I did not mean the moon. Watch.'

He stood, a barely discernable blacker smudge against the darkness and she thought he was lifting his hands into his fighting stance but she couldn't quite tell.

There was a streak of yellow light that moved out of the woods to rest on Shino's outstretched hand.

Then gradually more and more fireflies appeared, drawn to the tall boy settling on his arms and shoulders illuminating the camp site in a pale gold light.

'Oh wow....'

She breathed, awestruck by the display in front of her. It was hard to resist clapping her hands together in delight, like a child.

'It's like magic...'

Normally she wouldn't say anything of the sort about ninja powers. But sitting here in this glade surrounded by little glowing, living creatures....

Well it was magical there was no other way to describe it.

Shino subtley inclined his head towards her and some of the bugs drifted in her direction, doing lazy laps around her head and making her laugh.

' They use the light for locating others of the same species and for....courtship. To impress the females.'

_Oh to impress the females eh?_

He'd been looking at her rather fixedly when he'd said the last part of that sentence and she could have sworn she saw the faintest tinges of a blush on his cheeks. Not that it was easy to tell in the semi-darkness.

'Oh so they put on flashy lighting displays to attract girls huh?'

'If...'

He paused and she thought it was the first time she'd ever seen him uncertain. It was...kinda cute.

Oh god, she _really_ had it bad didn't she?

'If the females...accept the mate they generally flash their own signals back.'

She tilted her head to look at him in the eerie glow of the fireflies. What little she could see of his face betrayed nothing but she was sure he was _totally_ flirting with her. In his own understated way.

'Hmm.... really.'

Grinning she looked around rather theatrically, one finger pressed to the side of her mouth as if in question.

'Well all I can manage are exploding tags, but I think if I incinerate the surrounding trees I might kinda blow our cover don't you? So how about a different kind of signal instead...'

The fireflies fled him as she approached and wrapped her arms around his neck. Gently but firmly she pressed her lips to his, giving him a chance to pull away. After-all she could be wrong about this....Shino was hard to read at the best of times, she might be way off base here.

'Those signals are indeed acceptable.'

He sounded more out of breath than he should after a single kiss and his hold on her tightened as if afraid she would change her mind and try to back away. Well he needn't worry about that....backing away was possibly the last thing on her mind.

If he needed any reassurance, she was pretty sure he got the message once their second kiss started to heat up. And that was _definately_ magic.


	2. Shadow

Prompt : #22 Shadow

'How _long_ do I have to do this for?' TenTen complained, her back already aching from Shikamaru's slouched posture.

'As long as possible,' he replied, looking as enthusiastic about it as she felt. 'I need to work on the maximum amount of time I can hold my shadow posession jutsu.'

'How did I get stuck with this again?' Her head rolled up in sync with Shikamaru's as he trained his gaze up at the sky.

'Ino,' he supplied obviously feeling no furthur explaination was warranted. Ah yes she remembered now- Ino had threatened to spill the beans about her and Shino's newly fledged relationship to Gai-sensei. TenTen would have been willing to do practically anything to keep that from happening- she sincerely doubted she would survive the declarations about the 'Beauty of Eternal Love' and all the proud tearful looks that would _undoubtably_ accompany them.

And Ino had wanted the day off from training and was most definately not above blackmail to get it.

Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets so TenTen's own came up to hover awkwardly at the sides of her hips. _I must look ridiculous_ she thought sourly. Hell she was entitled to hate Ino at least a little- it was her day off, the last thing she wanted was to be doing more training. Not least training that didn't benefit _her_ in the slightest. With Shikamaru, who while he could be okay at times, was in an absolutely foul horrendous mood today. Probably because Ino would rather shop than train with him.

And to top it all off it was also unseasonably (and uncomfortably) warm.

Shikamaru wiped the back of his hand across his sweating forehead, causing TenTen to scratch her own on her forehead protector

'Ow, watch it.'

'Sorry,' he said, sounding more annoyed than apologetic. TenTen glared at him, unable to even rub the stinging scratches.

'So...you and Shino. Didn't see that one coming.'

She tried to shrug but had to settle for raising an eyebrow. What was with people's weird fascination with the fact she was dating Shino? The way they went on about it you'd think she was dating outside the species or something.

'I just meant,' he continued 'most people tend to date within their teams. It's the unwritten rule of genin teams after-all, at least two members of the team will 'hook up'. Well according to Ino anyway.'

Grinning, she thought maybe this practise was going to get a bit more fun after-all. Shikamaru might be a genius when it came to some things but he obviously didn't realise the implications of his words. And if he could pry into her love life she could sure as hell pry into his.

'So you like Ino huh?'

He gaped at her for a second and TenTen felt eternally grateful the shadow posession didn't force you to mimic facial expressions too- the last thing she wanted was to be forced to look like a suprised fish.

'Wh-what? No of course not. Who would like a troublesome woman like her?'

Right sure you don't, she thought sardonically, and Orochimaru is really just a poor misunderstood soul who simply needs a hug. Plastering on a false 'understanding' expression she said,

'Oh, I'm so sorry Shikamaru I should have realised.... I'm sure you and Chouji will be very happy together.'

Watching as he spluttered and tried to regain his cool she felt a little remorseful.....just a little...not enough to actually _stop_ mind you. It was baking hot, she was giving up free time she could have been spending with her new boyfriend and she was bored. Somebody was going to pay for this and since she wasn't able to go down her normal route of beating the crap out of people she'd just settled for teasing Shikamaru to within an inch of his life. Maybe he'd get annoyed and end the jutsu early.

'Or are Chouji and Ino the ones who've hooked up?'

His face darkened and TenTen felt her shoulders tense and her wrists clench. _Whoah that one really pissed him off....better be careful here after-all he could theoretically walk me off a cliff...._

'Look I'm just disproving your theory okay? I used to have a thing for Neji but I don't anymore and Lee is like a brother to me. I like Shino, alot and it doesn't matter to me he's not on my team or anything.'

Shikamaru shrugged, stiil looking severely annoyed ' I was just trying to make conversation but if you're going to be like that I guess we'll just stand in silence.'

'Fine by me.'

It seemed like an eternity they stood there, facing each other under the baking midday sun. TenTen kept subtly testing the restraint but found it didn't show any signs of weakening. Damn, why did he even need to work on this? It seemed like he could hold it _forever. _

Obviously getting fed up of heat Shikamaru reached up to take off his padded Chuunin vest. It didn't bother TenTen until, with a stomach dropping thud she realised she was wearing a zip-up top.

'Hey Shikamaru, wait a second!!'

But it was too late, he'd already unzipped his vest and shrugged out of it. And of course TenTen had done the same thing. His eyes went wide as her cheeks flamed red. The very practical part of her mind put voice to the opnion at least she'd worn nice underwear today.

'Put it back on!' she yelled, trying to break free of the jutsu so she could cover herself up and then beat the crap out of Shikamaru.

'I-I'm sorry,' he gasped and she realised he wasn't talking to her. His eyes were in fact fixed a few inches above her head and the colour was quickly draining from his face.

There was a rustling beside her and TenTen felt heavy material settle on her shoulders, covering her modesty. Ah... she should have guessed he'd be watching from the shadows. Feeling smug, she stopped fighting to free herself. Her boyfriend was the considerate type, he'd leave Shikamaru with enough bones intact so she could break some too.

'It was an accident, I swear!' Shikamaru was backing away now, causing TenTen to back in the opposite direction.

'Perhaps,' Shino said, slivers of anger working themselves into his normally monotone voice 'Nevertheless. You must still die.'


	3. Cold Hands

Prompt#1 Cold hands

His hands are beautiful.

Maybe it's a strange thing to think, hell she _knows_ it's a strange thing to think, but it doesn't make it any less true. It's with a sense of despair she compares them to her own, rough and calloused from years of weapons training. Her grandmother had warned her to wear gloves or risk ruining them but with the arrogance that being thirteen brings she'd neglected to.

Now of course she wears the gloves but she thinks it's a case of too little too late. Her hands are worn and calloused, tend to get chapped and rough in cold weather and go red until they bear such a startling resemblance to her grandmother's she thinks she might cry.

His hands are smooth and soft, possibly because his style of fighting is far less tai-jutsu based than 're also....graceful, strong and when he extends his arm in battle, hand languidly splayed out often she forgets they are supposed to be fighting, caught up in the simple elegance of his movements. The way his simplest gesture seems to hold both brute force and heart-breaking grace. It's a contradiction, like a poem that makes no sense but somehow manages to move you.

It gives her chills to watch him to the most basic of things, like pushing open a door.

She worries about her sanity a little.

'Your hands....'

He looks up at her, questioning, as she slides her hand into his. Holding hands is not something they do very often, not because they are an unaffectionate couple, but simply because of his tendancy to keep his in his pockets. She does not want to push for it, to make him uncomfortable but tonight she wants...needs.... to see her own calloused brown hand wrapped up with his slender pale one.

Shino's fingers are startlingly cold as she intertwine's them with her own and she can't help giving a little gasp.

'...are_ freezing_.'

'Yes. As you are aware, body tempurature is a matter of choice for me.'

He turns to look at her when he says it, and there's a little bit of a smile curling the corners of his mouth up. For some reason she thinks he might have been gently teasing her, but before she can think of a retort his hand suddenly becomes warm in hers, the heat sending a comforting little thrill straight up her arm.

Sometimes she thinks she will never get used to Aburame Shino. That it would take a thousand years to learn and decipher all of his odd little habits and quirks.

And she wishes, so hard, that she had a thousand years to spend with him.

'Is that better?'

She likes the low lingering caress of his voice, the way his hand tightens slightly posessively on her's, the way he inclines his head towards her as if he's anxious for her response...

She likes alot of things about him. And she wonders if all that like is being compacted, pushed down until it's something else, something stronger and more lasting. So that it's not really 'like' anymore at all.

'Yes, thank you.' she says when she finally remembers to answer, and looks at their fingers all tangled up with each other. It makes her want to laugh, and cry and a thousand other things she most certainly never thought _Aburame Shino,_ of all people, would be capable of making her feel.

'It does not bother you. The kikkai.' He says it without question, just a sort of quiet fascination in his voice and she feels an overwhelming surge of affection.

'No.'

It really doesn't. Perhaps it should, it seems to bother all her friends for her- the idea of touching someone who is a living hive, of kissing a mouth insects exit his body through... (not that she has kissed him yet but she lives in hope, god she lives in _so much _hope)...they are all politely repulsed by it.

If she had been the type of person who cared what people think, it might have put her off but she isn't and it doesn't. Of course sometimes she wishes other people could see what she does but she doesn't really mind. It makes her feel special, privileged that she is the only one who see's him...._really_ see's him.

They walk along the darkened deserted streets of night-time Konoha, hand-in-hand in a comfortable warm silence. And she wishes it could stay like this forever.


	4. Limitation

11. Limitation

*

*

(I think this one might need a short explaination- I'm looking at this in terms of....this is Shino's limitation. His inability to express himself easily in words.)

*

*

'You know you've never said you love me.'

She looks at him surruptiously out the corner of her eye as she says it but fails to catch any flicker of expression that might give her a hint. Damn, she just _had_ to pick the most difficult to read guy in Konoha to fall for didn't she?

'That is true.'

His words are slow, thoughtful and she waits to see if he's going to add more but apparently that's it. Feeling slightly annoyed Tenten elbows him in the ribs, a little too hard to be considered strictly playful.

'So?'

He raises a questioning eyebrow and she rolls her eyes, knowing full well he knows exactly what she means.

'Why haven't you said it? Don't you? Love me I mean.'

After he considers it a little too long she elbows him again, aware he could block it if he really wanted too but he lets her because... well she's not really sure why actually... but he lets her.

'You're a real jackass sometimes you know that?'

A very slight smile curves the corner of his lips

'And yet you are dating me. I wonder why that is.'

Sitting down, Tenten folds her arms pretending to be having a melodramatic huff. They're both aware it's play but both a little worried it could turn real any second, both aware this fight could be real... that the issues with Shino's failure to communicate Tenten has are _very_ real....

'Who knows?'

He sits down next to her, folding himself up neatly in comparison to her sprawl, close enough that their shoulders are almost touching. Almost but not quite. It's a tease, Tenten decides, much like everything Shino does. He enjoys pushing her sometimes, holding out on everything....testing her, she thinks, testing if she will stay. Testing how much she cares.

'I know.'

Looking up at him, she tries to stop herself from smiling and says,

'Oh do you now.'

'Yes.'

He holds her gaze, maddeningly confident.

'Because you love me. How do I know this? It is easy to tell.'

Tenten wonders if she's imagining the slight chiding note in his voice. Decides she's going to ignore it either way.

'...and because I tell you so right?'

Her chin tilts up, and her look becomes slightly hostile. He sighs, his own expression becoming sombre.

'Is it really that important for you to hear the words?'

Speaking softly he holds out a hand, waiting for her to place her own in it which she does with a little trepidation.

'I would have thought it would have been a fore-gone conclusion Tenten,'

He speaks gravely her hand held lightly in his, long fingers curled neatly around her shorter more calloused ones.

'I never say it because it feels like to small a word for an emotion so big. But if you need to hear it I will endeavour...'

She places her fingers over his lips to forestall the rest of his sentence. The gesture obviously surprises him.

'No, don't. Just... kiss me.'

That he does gladly.


	5. Emotions

27. Emotions

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Konoha was a mix of architecture thrown together higgeldy-piggedly, where the village had been rebuilt after numerous attacks. If you looked closely you could see where the repairs merged with the origanals, like faded scars. But it was part of his charm, she guessed, it made it look....slightly eccentric somehow. Out of all the hidden villages it looked the most accessible... the most friendly even with the imposing faces of the past Hokage staring down over it. Looking up at them always reminded her in some way of Iwagakure and of her mother who had always like to climb to the top and sit there. Said it made her feel less homesick.

Last year when Tenten had finally been given a mission to her mother's home country she honestly hadn't seen what anyone could miss about it. The Land of Earth was barren with great big stretches of rocky _nothing_ and Iwagakure itself wasn't exactly impressive. The buildings had reminded her forcibly of ant hills and the cliffs surrounding it had given her a feeling of low level claustrophobia the entire time she was there. It had been extremely disappointing plus she'd felt the people staring at her the whole time. Probably because her manner, hairstyle and dress were very much old fashioned Earth Country yet she was wearing a Konoha headband. Which was apparently enough of an oddity to keep eyes glued to her everywhere she went. It had started out as mildly unnerving and progressed to the point where she was inches away from punching the next person who looked at her the wrong way. It had been with great relief she'd left.

No, Konoha was definately where she belonged even if she still felt her difference to her peers rather keenly. And her Sarutobi side had more ties here than the distant tales of Iwagakure. As her mother had been fond of telling her she looked very much like her father, with his dark skin and hair and rather pointed chin. Her mother had been fair skinned and black haired, common for the Earth Country...her eyes had been very much like Tenten's though even if they were blue rather than brown.

It wasn't usual for her meandering thoughts to turn to her mother this much, but as she wound her way through the rather crowded streets with her arms full of her grandmother's shopping, she couldn't help it. Her mind kept turning back to her again and again. At least so far she'd been able to keep it on the positives, on the things that were good to remember... but sooner or later it was going to crawl back in. The memories she'd tried so hard to forget- the ones of hospital beds, of the bloody barely breathing _thing_ that had once been the most important person in her life....

With a shudder, she shook her head violently as thought trying to manually dispell the thoughts. No good to be thinking of that, no good at all.

But painfully insistant the memories kept coming- how she'd sat there all alone with her mother dying by inches. The only person who would have come was her paternal grandmother but she'd been out on a diplomatic mission at the time, one of her last it would turn out before she quit altogether to look after her orphaned nine year old granddaughter...

_He's part of a clan, he won't be alone. _She let that thought console her slightly, get rid of a litle of the gnawing guilt. Because really it's none of her concern or buisness.... he's not a teammate, he only qualified as a friend in some really vague way. But she kept seeing his face. The sliding horror on it, like someone had just stabbed him, the twist of his lips... how he'd suddenly looked far older than his seventeen years and yet so much younger at the same time....like a lost child. All those things on Aburame Shino's normally expressionless face when the messenger had told him that his father....

A jar of furikake on the top of her shopping overbalanced and clattered to the street. Cursing, she shifted her load and tried to scoop it up feeling vaguely grateful it hadn't shattered at least. She needed to pay more attention to what she was doing not keep getting lost in vague memories, her grandmother was already going to be annoyed it had taken her this long to do something as basic as shopping.... she loved her grandmother, in a rather admiring dutiful way, but the woman was very no-nonsense about things and wouldn't be at all sympathetic if she found out Tenten was dawdling because one of her friends father's had been injured. _That, _she could almost here her say in disapproving tones, _is the life of a shinobi as we all learn in time. You lose the ones you love. Our lives are lived for the village, and if we lose things that are precious to us then that is a small price to pay for the safety of Konoha. _She was pretty sure her grandmother didn't really believe those words. After-all she'd seen her face when they went to the memorial stone to pay tribute to her mother and father and Tenten could see that even after seventeen years that she was still grieving for the son she'd lost. Carrying a pain she refused to share with the granddaughter who barely remembered him.

_We all lose people, we all grieve alone..._

The rest of the shopping clattered to the floor as she felt a sudden surge of irrational anger at herself. How could she? How _could_ she? Aburame Shino, someone she had know for years, someone she'd shared joint-team meals at Yaniki-Q with, someone who had once used his bugs to locate a scroll she'd thought lost, someone who'd sparred with her when everyone else was too preoccupied... he was sitting up at the hospital, alone and probably terrified while his father fought for life. Did Shino have any other family? Did he have a mother? Grandparents? Would someone care for him like her grandmother had cared for her? Or would he be left to deal with the pain alone?

And here she was...shopping, like the world wasn't ending for someone she considered a friend.

Her anger rather abruptly became directed at his team. Weren't they supposed to be there for him in times like this? Okay Kurenai had a baby, okay Hinata was needed by her father, okay Kiba was required on a mission... those were _excuses_. Pitiful excuses so they could leave him alone without feeling guilty.

Then she was off and running, her feet pounding against the uneven brickwork of the Konoha street.

Tenten felt a little silly when she turned up, sweating and out of breath at the hospital. Several of the medi-nin gave her rather alarmed looks, obviously afraid there had been some kind of emergency but when she didn't immeadiately call for help they lost interest, going back to their tasks. After she managed to get her breath back, she made her way to the front desk where a rather harrassed looking Chunnin was manning the reception.

'Could you tell me which room Aburame....' she paused, realising abruptly she had no idea what Shino's father's name was. Shouldn't she know something like that? It was such a basic fact to know about a friend yet... she didn't have a clue. The Chuunin eyed her with thinly disguised contempt before flicking through the file in front of him, 'Aburame Shibi?' he asked in a patronising tone and she nodded enthusiastically despite having no idea if that was actually correct. It sounded right though, kinda similar to Shino's name. 'Up on the third floor.... you family?' She ignored the last part of the question, simply giving a dismissive thanks and bolting for the stairs.

When she reached the third floor it took her awhile to find the right room, in her haste she'd forgotten to ask for more specifics. But eventually she pushed open a door to see the hooded outline of Shino slouched in a chair. From this angle she would have taken him for being an old, old man bowed under the weight of years.

'Shino.'

At the sound of her voice, he jerked around staring at her like she was some kind of apparition. It made her feel awkward, like an intruder but she forced herself to step forward, the door swinging shut with a loud clatter behind her.

'Tenten.'

His voice sounded hoarse, disused almost... it had lost it's normal flowing melodic quality and she felt a pang. He didn't look any better from the front, the shadows that his hood threw on his face making him look gaunt and haunted. His normal frown had been replaced by something deeper and more troubled.

'Does the Hokage wish to see me? Or Kurenai-sensei?'

She felt a little stab of heartache that he believed that only reason she...well anyone probably...would come see him at a time like this was official buisness. It had never really hit home to her before how truly ignored Shino was by everyone in their little group, how alone he must feel. She felt vaguely disgusted with herself and the others for allowing it to happen, for allowing him to become so isolated.

'No.... I just came to see if you were alright.'

The look of shocked gratitude on his face was difficult to bear and she was absurdly grateful when he sharply turned away. Settling herself down in the seat next to him she looked at the man laying prone in the bed, as much to avoid looking at Shino as anything. He didn't look as bad as she'd feared, not as bad as the memories of her mother but there was a greyish pallor to his skin and his arms were swathed with bandages. Part of her wanted to ask what happened but she stepped sharply on that curiosity.

God, he looked so much like Shino it was almost spooky... if you took away his dubious facial hair she could almost have been looking at the guy next to her twenty years down the line. It was slightly creepy.

They sat in silence for she didn't know how long. Time seemed to stop in this dull grey stifling room and Tenten could only imagine how long the day he'd been in here for must have felt like. How slow time must seem to go when you're waiting like this.... waiting for a miracle or the end of your world...

Again the memories came back, sharp and haunting... her grandmother's cold hand on her shoulder steering her away from the bed as they pulled the sheet up over her mother's face. Her sobbing that she didn't want to go with the old woman, she wanted her mother....

It hadn't been so bad living with grandmother. Just awkward at first, neither of the knew each other that well...she'd only stayed with her a few times when her mother had been on missions. Normally she'd been sent to the small organisation that was set up in the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack, with so many orphans and single ninja parents. It was staffed by put-upon genin's and chuunin's who had no idea how to handle a bunch of rowdy kids but it had been alot of fun.

One memorable time when the club had been full and her grandmother away, she'd been sent to stay with her Great Uncle and his family....the Hokage...

She'd been scared of him to start with, but had quickly warmed up when he started telling her tales of the Legendary Sanin. It had been the beginning of her desire to be like Tsunade, like this beautiful, strong kunoichi he'd been describing.

But it was her grandmother who'd taken her in, taught her more about being strong than she had known before. Had given her weapons, shown her how to use them, taught her to be fierce and proud when she needed to be and when to be kind and giving...

'He is all I have.'

The words were abrupt, almost forced and she whipped around to face him. His hands were out of his pockets, clenching restlessly like he wanted to hold something or perhaps hit something. That haggard, horribly used look on his face had gotten worse until he looked older than the man lying on the bed. His mouth was twisting like he was trying not to cry and without thinking Tenten got to her feet and put her arms around him.

For a moment he tried to pull back, tried to detach her but she held firm. Then his head sank down onto her shoulder, hood falling backwards as it did, and his chest began hitching.

She wanted to talk, to assure him it was okay that he could cry and she wouldn't think any less of him. But to speak might break this fragile moment, might cause him to pull away and shut off again.

His hands came up around her back, tentatively at first as if he was sure she would push him away. When she didn't his grip suddenly tightened, crushing her against him so hard it was almost painful. But she didn't object, simply stroked his hair in what she hoped was a gentle soothing way as he clung to her like she was the last person on earth.

Tenten made gentle shushing noises, feeling a little bit silly as she did so, not really sure how to help him. This wasn't really her forte, not by a long shot... her style was normally more to shake someone until they snapped out of it. His mumbling died off and his broad shoulders shook with the force of his silent sobs.

Then suddenly he twisted partially out of her grip, bring his head around so he was staring her full in the face. A few tears had escaped the confines of his goggles and were making their way sluggishly down his cheeks.

And then in a very sudden, oddly graceful sort of movement he came closer. His arms were around her again, not clutching like a child that wanted comfort anymore but just...holding.

With the air of someone doing something fatal, he kissed her. There was an edge of desperate forcefulness to it and she got the impression that under normal circumstances he would probably be a passionate yet gentle kisser. His hands sunk into her hair, pulling her even closer. There was something so reckless about it, something so unlike him and she thought maybe he'd been driven a little mad by grief...

He smelt of old books and wet woods... strange smells but not bad in their own way... she'd never been close enough too him to notice them before. And he was kissing her with gratifying eagerness and she was letting him because she thought maybe this was what he needed.... physical proof that someone would be there for him... and even if it was her first kiss and it hadn't been given with love or to the person she'd imagined, it was still okay....

Her back connecting with the wall caused her to start a little in surprise, she hadn't even registered them moving. His body pushed momentarily against her before he broke off the kiss and for a second she thought that this was it, he'd finally regained his senses... but a moment later he was nipping at her neck, his skin hot and feverish where it touched hers. And it felt good, she couldn't deny that, part of her just wanted him to continue...

She breathed in sharply.

_Whoah okay his father is quite possibly __**dying **__three feet away, this is __**so **__not appropriate..._

But she couldn't push him away. If she did, she was sure the rejection would be the final straw, the thing that broke him...

His hands were gripping her waist now and he was kissing her again, desperately . His look was fierce…determined, far better in her opnion, than the pallid grey of earlier. At least now he looked alive, at least now it didn't look like he was the one dying. No, right now Aburame Shino looked more alive... more _vital _than she'd ever seen him before and she was glad she could give him that.

_I'm sorry I was late home grandma, I was busy fooling around with Aburame Shino in a hospital room because it made him look alive_ the phrase just popped straight into her head and she almost laughed aloud, hysterical giggles trying to force their way out of her throat.

The machine by the bed gave a loud intrusive beep.

Shino pulled away abruptly, looking horrified and flinching as if he fully expected her to punch him. She smiled slightly shakily, trying to let him know it was alright. Maybe she didn't quite understand the reasons for what he'd done but that was okay...

He backed up, his hands held out in front of him as though to ward off what he'd just done.

'I'm sorry,' his voice came out almost as a whisper and his face looked ashen again '... you were being so...thoughtful toward me and... I have always admired you...always wished... and I thought...' his words trailed off and his shoulders slumped 'I understand if you wish to leave.'

She closed the gap that had grown between them and seized his head in her hands, planting a very firm kiss on his lips. When she drew away his mouth was hanging partially open and the look of suprise on his face would have been comical under other circumstances.

'It wasn't wrong, Shino.' she told him adamently 'Just... wrong timing.'

He nodded dazedly in a way that made her wonder if he'd even heard her at all before he leant in again. This time the kiss was slower, softer, tentative- more like she'd dreamed her first kiss would be, more like she would have speculated he would kiss had the thought ever crossed her mind before. His lips were warm and firm against hers and she kissed him back a little hesistantly, not wanting to lose herself. He pulled back to look down at her and she smiled.

The second time his mouth opened slightly against hers, his tongue touching lightly against her lips, causing a jolt in her stomach. His hands came up to rub lightly against her sides and there was a fumbling reverence to his touch now that she liked better than the harsh desperation. And suddenly all she wanted, _badly_ wanted, was to lay Shino down on the other unoccupied hospital bed and do all the things her grandmother had warned her very sternly not to get up to until she was married.

But...

Something was wrong. The hairs on the back her neck were standing up and she felt...._watched_...

Looking over at the bed she suddenly knew, with a fine tuned ninja's instincts, that Shino's father was no longer unconcious. More than that she was certain he had been awake for quite sometime now...._ever since the beep _she thought red hot embarrassment starting to claw her insides _it was indicating he'd come around._

Which of course meant he'd quite possibly woken up to the sight of her making out with his son.

Great.

Shino followed her gaze and drew in a sharp breath before darting over to the bedside. For the moment she was forgotten as he grasped his father's hand tightly.

'Don't mind me,' the man on the bed rasped, amusement clear in his deep voice even if it was cracked and hoarse 'If I had known nearly getting killed was what it took for you to get a girlfriend Shino I might have tried it earlier...'

Shino looked like he didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed 'You need to rest, do not strain yourself by talking.'

'In other words shut up.'


	6. Ananias

Prompt 26: Ananias

When you are twelve there is something romantic about the idea of dying for your country. When you first receive that engraved metal headband and run your fingers over the leaf symbol, feeling the raised edges and know you are shinobi. Then perhaps you think it might be a good and honourable thing to lay down your life to protect Konoha...

That's because when you are twelve you secretly know you are immortal... that things like dying happen to other people and not to you.

Tenten laughed, the blood in her mouth turning the sound disconcertingly liquid and bubbling. She wasn't twelve anymore and she'd known for a long time, intellectually, she was not immortal. Now she was finally learning it all the way through, in the deep parts of her brain that really understood things.

She was not immortal.

She was going to die.

Not someday in a distant murky future that might or might not happen but soon, on the cold muddy ground with her blood leaking out in great pools.

Small insects were running over the wound, slipping and getting washed away in the rivulets of blood as they tried to knit the edges together. It wasn't working very well.

Perhaps she should have been horrified by the fact there were bugs running over her open wound but it seemed like a rather insignificant detail after-all it was a last resort and he was only trying to help,.... his hands were shaking as he directed them, even though his face was still neutral and calm.

Strange. Despite all the evidence to contrary she'd always thought he was emotionless.

Green light suddenly pulsed and flared around her wound, erratically moving over her skin. Perhaps he'd finally remembered something from the mandatory one hour lecture they'd been given on healing over 7 years ago. Perhaps he remembered nothing and was just doing it out of sheer willpower.

It hurt.

Her scream was lost as she nearly choked on the blood in her mouth and a grunt of annoyance fell from his lips as her frame jerked upwards. His concentration lost the green chakra on his hands stuttered and died.

His frown deepened.

"It's not going to work."

Her voice was muffled so she turned her head and spat the blood out onto the ground. It mingled with the mud, turning from a bright arterial red to something darker almost instantly. He simply looked at her for a moment, before saying sternly,

"Be quiet."

Tenten frowned. She was the one that was dying here... and if she wanted to talk his ear off then he'd have to damn well listen to her until her last breath.

Before she could tell him this, she noticed the green chakra flare around his hands once again as he applied them to her wound. It didn't hurt any less but this time, better prepared, she sunk her teeth into her lip and held as still as she could.

Less than a minute went by before the glow flickered and extinguished as Shino fell forwards, barely managed to catch himself before he crushed her. His skin where it brushed hers felt feverishly hot.

It was strange how she could feel the anger there, just below the surface... not at her situation or her attacker but at Shino for depleting his own chakra reserves, for trying to help her, for failing...

"You must hold on. They will come for us."

He was lying.

What's more, he knew he was lying... she could hear it in his voice as clear as anything. It's not like she couldn't have figured it out anyway... they are two mid-level chuunin, probably some of the most expendable of all the fighters in this short battle.

And he won't leave.

She'd tried sending him away. The first time....was it really only a few hours ago?... she'd had some success. He'd helped her lean against a tree, closed her shaking hand around a kunai and told her forcefully that he would be back soon and she would be fine. Both of them had known it was a lie, that when he left that would be it....

One bloodied and helpless woman clutching a kunai, left on the outskirts of the forest of death could not hope to survive. They were in the territory of the Fire Country's large predatory tigers here, and while they were wary of ninja in general, they hunted in groups and would certainly not pass up such an easy meal.

But if he stayed then they would both die, food and water supplies were low, she could not be moved and he was getting weaker by the minute. So she knew she had to send him away while she was still strong enough that they could fool themselves into thinking there might be a chance...

So he had promised she would be alright, shouldered his pack and left, leaving her feeling bitterly alone.

About fifteen minutes later she'd looked up to see him standing there again.

Without a word he'd put his pack down and walked back over to her, pulling her hands out of the way to check on her bleeding. She'd scowled and called him an idiot to hide how selfishly relieved she was.

And now he was using the last of his strength in a futile effort to save her fading life. What she really wanted to know was...

"Why?"

Wearily he pushed himself up into a sitting position so he could look at her but as usual his face gave away nothing.

"I'm not your teammate, I'm not a particularly close friend... why are you doing this? Why won't you just leave?"

The moment dragged on, with nothing but distant animal noises and the rustle of leaves to break it. Then Shino lifted his head towards hers, and she was surprised at the look of gentle understanding she saw there.

"Because no one should have to be alone."

The rain was starting to fall, a light pervasive rain that left pinpricks on sensation on her skin and dampened her clothes. She wondered if it was disguising the fact her eyes were welling up, a damnable show of weakness but then...

He moved to sit beside her, just a hairs breadth away, his movements slow, precise and weary.

"We will wait. Together."

Her voice didn't seem to want to co-operate anymore so she nodded and fumbled around with her somewhat numb hand until she found his.

They would wait.


	7. Crying Craven

Gosh this ones been knocking around for awhile... I always meant to do something more with it, something longer and more indepth but right now I guess if I don't post it as a snippet it'll never see the light of day. So it's going in the collection. Also keep your eyes peeled for a sequel to 'The Haircut', I am very nearly finished with it! UPDATE: To get rid of the tense changes _ Sorry!

"Tenten,"

It took her a moment to place the voice, even though it's a familiar one. Maybe the roar of the out of control fires drowned it out slightly, or the hollow ringing in her head distorted it but for a moment she was sure she was being addressed by a total stranger.

Then it clicked and if she could feel anything she'd probably feel stupid for not recognising the deep rolling tones of Aburame Shino, someone she'd known for years now. An 'acquaintance-leaning-towards-friend'.

Strong hands landed on her shoulders and with far more gentleness than she would have expected from him, eased her up into a standing position (_Like I might break,_ she thinks vaguely, _but I'm already broken_) supporting her, delibrately turning her away from the carnage before her.

"Don't look,"

The words were soft, laced with sympathetic pain and she clutched onto his arms like he'd disappear, leave her alone again in this place that used to be her home but is now more like her worst nightmare.

"They're dead. Dead. Lee's dead. Naruto's dead. _Lee's_ dead." The words sound curiously flat to her own ears, like they've been stripped of their meaning, and she didn't even know why she was bothering to tell him. He has eyes, he can see the mutilated corpses in front of him. There's enough of Lee's stupid training suit left for anyone to know it's him-

_"Tenten-san, it is truly a suit of miracles! You should ask Gai-sensei for your own!" Lee beams his megawatt smile at her, eyes crinkled shut, made so happy by something so minor as a hideous green jumpsuit..._

- the pain that hits her is almost physical and if Shino hadn't caught her she would certainly have crumpled to the ground.

"You're bleeding."

Was she? Yes she guessed she was, her neck felt odd... not painful but numb and wet, perhaps that had to do with shock or the jutsu that had been used on them, she couldn't quite remember. He lowered her to the ground again long enough to rummage through that weird bag of his and produce bandages and ointment. She gripped his sleeve, still irrationally convinced he's going to leave her there, abandon her in this place to...what? Burn alive she supposed, or be hunted down by whatever of the enemy is left..

"We're going to die if we stay here." Her words were still flat, still emotionless... she might as well be telling him about the weather. Perhaps some self-preservation instinct would kick in eventually but right now she just felt...indifferent. Numb.

"You will die if I do not treat your wounds. It will only take a moment."

Cold, strong fingers applied the ointment and then wound a bandage carefully around her neck while she simply stared at the remains of what had been Lee and Naruto. Tears ran unchecked down her face stinging the numerous scratches as they passed. If things had been normal she would've been embarrassed at crying like this...but then things would never be normal again...

Then those cold fingers were on her cheek, gently but firmly turning her face away from what had once been her teammate...

"There."

For the first time she really looked at him and noticed he was looking rather worse for wear as well. His high collar had gone, been violently ripped off by the look of it, exposing his neck and chest. Three long gouges were dribbling red down onto what remained of his jacket and his mouth was bleeding in much the same way, creating a steady drip from his chin. Those shades, the one's that had caused so much speculation among their group, were cracked and chipped and...there was blood all over his forehead protector.

"You're hurt too!"

Her concern for him managed to momentarily eclipse the numbness and she clamboured to her feet, reaching out for him. He gave a curiously childish shrug, looking embarrassed, but didn't stop her when she pulled the blood matted fabric away from his wounds.

"I will heal, my kikkai are working to repair the damage already. I am not in danger, do not concern yourself..."

She thought 'not in danger' was the overstatement of the decade with the village burning down around their ears. Now she'd woken up from her daze, she was noticing the almost unbearable heat and could smell the acrid stench of smoke. The realisation they were in pretty big danger of being barbequed alive hit her hard.

"Shino! We've got to get out of here!"

He nodded once, still cool and more calm that he had any right to be in the situation and quickly packed up his medical supplies. Then his hand was on her back, gently guiding her along the streets. She could barely see through the billowing cloaks of ash, so she had no idea how the hell _he _was finding his way but he seemed so sure it didn't even occur to her to question him. The noise from the flames is so loud now she can hardly concentrate enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep walking through this stifling, blinding, neverending hell. Panic kept trying to claw its way into her brain and take hold. She viciously beat it back down, she is a _ninja, _and she might be terrified but she refused to just give in to it.

_Don't let the bastards win_, she thought and then hysterical laughter bubbled out of her mouth. Let them win? Konoha would soon be nothing but ashes...she and Shino had seen no one since they started ...and had heard no screams for help... it would be wise to assume everyone, or nearly everyone was dead. They _had_ won. The bastards had won by so much it hadn't even really been a contest. Konoha had lost, she'd lost.

"We're at the wall,"

Shino's voice pulled her back to the moment and she found herself staring up at the wall that markws the town limits, the pain in her neck becoming quite insistant when she craned her head back to look.

"I believe they may be taking people out as they cross the wall..." he put his mouth close to her ear so she could hear him clearly over the background roar "It is doubtful they can see clearly with all this smoke so I would imagine they are using chakra signatures... so to that end..."

There is curious tickling sensation running up her forearm and she looked down in mild alarm to see an army of small black bugs making their way over her skin. Then a sharp pain and a feeling like she was being drained, sapped...

"I apologise, but if your chakra is low I can mask it. My own is contained mostly within my kikkai which I will send out as a decoy."

He was looking at her warily, like he expected her to freak out or scream at him and honestly both had crossed her mind but only briefly. The clear expectation of her horror and revulsion wiped out any inclination to do either. Yes, his face said, I am aware you now disgusted by me but I was doing it to save your life... the mixture of defiance, sadness and self-belief there makes something hurt inside her and she was suddenly struck by the compulsion to kiss him.

It's only brief, a simple press of skin on skin but when she drew away his mouth was slack with shock, his eyebrows raised so high they disappeared under his headband. It's the first time she has ever seen anything other than a frown on his face. A kiss was quite clearly the last thing he had expected.

"You... kissed me. Why?"

Now there's a question she doesn't have the slightest clue how to answer honestly.

"Doesn't the hero always get kissed by the girl?" she said instead, something almost like a smile quirking her mouth as he blushed, the reflected firelight taking the rosy hue and magnifying it.

"I am not a hero. My kikkai...told me you were still alive. Anyone would have come back for you."

She felt shocked, the idea of anyone walking back into that hell they'd just escaped from seemed almost inconcievable.

"You came back... to search for me?"

He looked mildly perplexed

"Of course."

Then she kissed him again, not simply or briefly but hard and full of gratefulness and passion and...life. Because they're alive. Maybe not for much longer, maybe their escape will go wrong, maybe they will be hunted down, maybe the winds will change and blow the fire into the forest following them. But right now...

They were alive. And they kiseds in the burning ruins of Konoha to remind themselves of that.


End file.
